Intel Core i9-14900K, Core i7-14700K, Core i5-14600K Desktop CPU Review: More Performance, Same Price

Last year, Intel introduced its 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPU family. The family offered more cores, more threads, more cache, the highest clock speeds we have seen on a mainstream chip & was compatible with the same LGA 1700 platforms as the 12th Gen Alder Lake CPUs. We also saw an influx of new 700-series motherboards which offered better memory support, I/O features, and powerful VRM solutions to support these brand-new chips at the time.

Now in 2023, Intel is reintroducing its Raptor Lake CPU family as a part of a refresh under the 14th Gen branding. The lineup mostly retains the same core configurations besides one SKU while being mostly a clock lift update which is reminiscent of what Intel has done in the past. A +200 MHz clock speed is about as much as you would expect from the lineup. The company hopes that this will be enough to tackle the AMD Ryzen 7000 CPUs, especially the newer X3D parts which are gaining a lot of recommendations within the gaming segment due to their impressive performance, pricing & efficiency.

But since Intel has simply upped the clock speeds without utilizing any new technologies (process, 3D V-Cache tech, etc), the extra performance would come at a thermal and power cost. So it's time to see what Intel's 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs have to offer. Following is what you should expect from the Intel 14th Gen CPU lineup:

Intel 13th Gen Raptor Lake Desktop CPUs Features:

• Same Architecture as Raptor Lake (Raptor Cove P-Cores + Gracemont E-Cores)
• Same Process Node as Raptor Lake (Intel 7 aka 10nm++)
• Higher Clock Speeds Beyond 6.0 GHz
• Support For Faster DDR5 Memory DIMMs
• Much Higher Power Consumption (Close To 300W)
• Compatibility With Existing LGA 1700 / 1800 Socket Motherboards

For this review. Intel sent us the Core i9-14900K, Core i7-14700K, and Core i5-14600K CPU whereas Gigabyte arranged the Z790 AORUS Master X motherboard.

Intel's Raptor Lake-S desktop CPU platform features support on the LGA 1700 socket which is also used by the Alder Lake CPUs. You can find various motherboards under the 700 & 600 series that support the latest chips. There are refreshed designs with which you don't require a BIOS upgrade to support 14th Gen chips such as the Aorus Master X and then there are older designs that also support the chips but require a BIOS upgrade.

Another interesting thing to talk about the Z790 PCH is its process node and dimensions. The Z790 PCH is based on the 14nm node and measures at 98mm2 which is slightly larger than the Z590 PCH featured on LGA 1200 socket motherboards.

Intel Desktop Platform Chipset Comparison

Chipset Name	Arrow Lake-S (ARL-S) PCH / 800 Series (Z890)	Raptor Lake-S (RPL-S) PCH / 700 Series (Z790)	Alder Lake-S (ADL-S) PCH / 600 Series (Z690)	Rocket Lake-S (RKL-S) PCH / 500 Series (Z590)	Comet Lake-S (CML-S) PCH / 400 Series (Z490)	Coffee Lake S (CFL-S) PCH / 300 Series (Z390/H370, B360, Q370, H310)	Coffee Lake S (KBL-R) PCH / Z370 Platform
Process Node	7nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	14nm	22nm
Processor	24C, 20C, 14C, 12C, TBD)	24,16C,12C,10C,6C,4C	16C,12C,10C,6C,4C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	10C, 8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C, 4C, 2C (Full corporate/consumer SKU stack at launch)	8C, 6C, 4C (6 Consumer SKUs at Launch)
Memory	Up To DDR5-6400 (Native)	Up To DDR5-5600 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR5-4800 (Native) Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR4-3200 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2933 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2666 (Native)	Up To DDR4-2666 (Native)
Media, Display & Audio	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	eDP / 4DDI (DP, HDMI) Display Capabilities	DP 1.2 & HDMI 2.0, HBR3 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) 12-bit AV1/HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP With USB Audio offload SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP SoundWire Digital Audio Interface	DP 1.2 & HDMI 1.4 HDCP 2.2 (HDMI 2.0a w/LSPCON) HEVC & VP9 10-bit Enc/Dec, HDR, Rec.2020, DX12 Integrated Dual-Core Audio DSP
I/O & Connectivity	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ 7 BT CNVio) with Gig+ Integrated SDXC 4.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20G) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi6E/ BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 4.0 (Maple Ridge)	Integrated USB 3.2 Gen 2 Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4	Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Integrated Intel Wireless-AC (Wi-Fi / BT CNVi) Integrated SDXC 3.0 Controller Thunderbolt 3.0 (Titan Ridge) w/ DP 1.4	Integrated USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Thunderbolt 3.0 (Alpine Ridge)
Storage	PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 8x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0 (CPU Lanes), 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 5.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 4.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next-Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0	Next Gen Intel Optane memory PCIe 3.0, 6x SATA 3.0
Max PCH PCIe Lanes	Up To 24 (Gen 4)	Up To 20 (Gen 4) Up To 8 (Gen 3)	Up To 12 (Gen 4) Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)	Up To 24 (Gen 3)
Max CPU PCIe Lanes	Up To 20 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 5) Up To 4 (Gen 4)	Up To 20 (Gen 4)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)	Up To 16 (Gen 3)
Max USB Ports	Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2z2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 5 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 4 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 3 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 2x1) Up To 10 (USB 3.2 Gen 1x1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.2) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.1) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)	Up To 10 (USB 3.0) Up To 14 (USB 2.0)
Security	Intel TET Intel Boot Guard	N/A	N/A	N/A	Intel SGX 1.0	Intel SGX 1.0	Intel SGX 1.0
Power Management	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C10 & S0ix Support for Modern Standby	C8 Support
Launch	2024	2022	2021	2021	2019	2018	2017

LGA 1700 Socket - 14th, 13th & 12th Generation CPU Support

The Intel 14th Gen CPUs are the last desktop family to hit the LGA 1700 socket. The socket adds more pins to the socket and changes the dimensions entirely. The LGA 1700 socket offers 500 more pin connections to the CPU, allowing for more communication channels with the board itself and accommodating electrical pin configurations that are required to support 14th, 13th & 12th Gen CPUs.

So starting with the specifications, Intel's 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs will utilize the hybrid core design, featuring a mix of Performance-Optimized 'P' and Efficiency-Optimized 'E' cores. For these chips, Intel will be using the same P-Core known as Raptor Cove which replaces the Golden Cove cores featured on the Alder Lake CPUs. For E-Core, Intel will retain the existing Gracemont core architecture.

The architecture has seen several optimizations and key refinements that have led to an increase from 16 cores and 24 threads to 24 cores and 32 threads. The new 10nm ESF (Intel 7) process retains Intel's clock leadership, pushing the chips up to 6.0 GHz which is the fastest frequency we have seen on a factory-shipped chip.

Intel’s Raptor Lake will be built using the company’s new E and P cores and represent a significant evolution in the company’s power efficiency targets. It will be built on the Intel 7 process and scale from 9 watts to 125 watts. DDR5 and PCIe gen5 will be supported and feature new technologies like the Intel Thread Director.

Raptor Lake will be fully scalable from Desktop (LGA1700) to ultra-mobile. Interestingly, however, while the platform has 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores, only the P-cores will support hyperthreading making for a total of 32 threads available. The integrated GPU will have 96 EUs of Xe architecture (good but nothing to write home about).

Raptor Lake will feature up to 35 MB of noninclusive LL Cache and support DDR5-5200, LP5-5600 DDR4-3200, and LP4x-4266. It will also support two times the PCIe bandwidth thanks to its support of PCIe 5 and will be able to provide up to 16 lanes of PCIe Gen5 with up to 64 GB/s.

The new design is fully modular and built like Lego and should be completely scalable and flexible. The compute fabric interconnect has a bandwidth of 1000 GB/s while the IO fabric has a BW of 64 GB/s. The memory subsystem supports up to 204 GB/s but more importantly, can scale memory frequency (and power) according to the needs of the SoC.

Intel Core i9-14900K 24 Core Raptor Lake CPU Specs

Starting with the flagship, we have the Intel Core i9-14900K CPU which will feature 16 cores & 32 threads in an 8+16 configuration. The CPU will feature up to 36 MB of Smart Cache and a base TDP of 125W (253W PL2). It will feature clock speeds of 3.2 GHz at base & up to 6.0 GHz with a Thermal Velocity Boost. This will be a +200 MHz frequency jump over the Core i9-13900K and the same as the Core i9-13900KS. The price for the chip is kept the same at $589 US (K) and $564 US (KF).

• Core i9-14900K 8+16 (24/32) - 3.2 / 6.0 GHz - 66 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 253W (PL2)
• Core i9-13900K 8+16 (24/32) - 3.0 / 5.8 GHz - 66 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 253W (PL2)
• Core i9-12900K 8+8 (16/24) - 3.2 / 5.2 GHz - 30 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 241W (PL2)

Intel Core i7-14700K 20 Core Raptor Lake CPU Specs

For the Core i7-14700K, Intel will be utilizing its 8+12 core configuration which offers 20 cores and 28 threads. This will be a nice upgrade over the existing Core i7-13700K which offers an 8+8 core configuration, allowing for a nice boost to multi-threading performance thanks to those extra E-Cores. The CPU will offer 33 MB of smart cache (vs 30 MB) and feature clock speeds of 3.4 GHz at base and up to 5.6 GHz with TBMT3. That's also a +200 MHz boost over the 13700K & we can see performance uplifts of around 5-10% from this particular SKU. Pricing is the best part since the i7-14700K & KF are the same price at $409 & $384 US, respectively.

• Core i7-14700K 8+12 (20/28) - 3.4 / 5.6 GHz - 61 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 253W (PL2)
• Core i7-13700K 8+8 (16/24) - 3.4 / 5.3 GHz - 54 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 253W (PL2)
• Core i7-12700K 8+4 (12/20) - 3.6 / 5.0 GHz, 25 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 190W (PL2)

Intel Core i5-14600K 14 Core Raptor Lake CPU Specs

Lastly, we have the Intel Core i5-14600K which unfortunately isn't using an 8+8 configuration as the rumors had told but rather a 6+8 which is the same as the Core i5-13600K. The cache and TDP will remain the same but the clock speeds will see a +200 MHz to 5.3 GHz, offering up to a 5% boost in performance over its predecessor. Pricing is once again the same as the Core i5-13600K/KF at $319 & $294 US, respectively.

• Core i5-14600K 6+8 (14/20) - 3.5 / 5.3 GHz - 44 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 181W (PL2)
• Core i5-13600K 6+8 (14/20) - 3.5 / 5.1 GHz - 44 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) /181W (PL2)
• Core i5-12600K 6+4 (10/16) - 3.6 / 4.9 GHz - 20 MB Cache, 125W (PL1) / 150W (PL2)

Besides the chips, Intel also acknowledges how its 14th-gen CPUs are supported by both 600 & 700-series platforms. The newest refresh 700-series motherboards also get discrete WIFI 7 and integrated USB 3.2 20 Gbps IO capabilities. The CPUs are also fine-tuned for better overclocking capabilities such as:

• Increased OC frequencies for P-Cores and E-Cores
• Higher DDR5 XMP speeds: beyond 8000 MT/s
• New per-core thermal throttle for improved OC perf
• New 3rd party OC tool, based on Intel's XTU SDK: FoundationTK.com

The company also embeds AI Assistance within its XTU software which will be offered in a new preview feature and offers:

• Utilizes AI model trained by Intel
• Characterizes individual systems and recommends customized overclocked settings
• Simply step-by-step UI: no experience required
• Offered for i9-14900K/KF processors

Intel also claims that it has added a new policy within the Dynamic Tuning Technology framework known as Intel Application Optimization which determines and directs application resources in real-time. These optimizations can deliver up to 16% performance uplifts in specific game titles.

• Supported on select Intel Core 14th Gen S-series processors
• Software optimizations focused on gaming applications

Intel 14th Gen Raptor Lake-S Refresh Desktop CPU Specs:

CPU Name	Cores	Threads	Base Clock	Boost Clock	L2 / L3 Cache	TDP (PL1)	MSRP
Core i9-14900KS	8+16 (24)	32	3.2 GHz	6.2 GHz	32 / 36 MB	150W	$699 US
Core i9-14900K	8+16 (24)	32	3.2 GHz	6.0 GHz	32 / 36 MB	125W	$589 US
Core i9-14900KF	8+16 (24)	32	3.2 GHz	6.0 GHz	32 / 36 MB	125W	$564 US
Core i9-14900	8+16 (24)	32	2.0 GHz	5.8 GHz	32 / 36 MB	65W	$549 US
Core i9-14900F	8+16 (24)	32	2.0 GHz	5.8 GHz	32 / 36 MB	65W	$524 US
Core i9-14900T	8+16 (24)	32	1.1 GHz	5.5 GHz	32 / 36 MB	35W	$549 US
Core i7-14700K	8+12 (20)	28	3.4 GHz	5.6 GHz	28 / 33 MB	125W	$409 US
Core i7-14700KF	8+12 (20)	28	3.4 GHz	5.6 GHz	28 / 33 MB	125W	$384 US
Core i7-14700	8+12 (20)	28	2.1 GHz	5.4 GHz	28 / 33 MB	65W	$384 US
Core i7-14700F	8+12 (20)	28	2.1 GHz	5.4 GHz	28 / 33 MB	65W	$359 US
Core i7-14700T	8+12 (20)	28	1.3 GHz	5.2 GHz	28 / 33 MB	35W	$384 US
Core i7-14790F	8+8 (16)	24	2.1 GHz	5.4 GHz	24 / 36 MB	65W	TBD
Core i5-14600K	6+8 (14)	20	3.5 GHz	5.3 GHz	20 / 24 MB	125W	$319 US
Core i5-14600KF	6+8 (14)	20	3.5 GHz	5.3 GHz	20 / 24 MB	125W	$294 US
Core i5-14600	6+8 (14)	20	2.7 GHz	5.2 GHz	20 / 24 MB	65W	$255 US
Core i5-14500	6+8 (14)	20	2.6 GHz	5.0 GHz	20 / 24 MB	65W	$232 US
Core i5-14500T	6+8 (14)	20	1.7 GHz	4.8 GHz	20 / 24 MB	35W	$232 US
Core i5-14400	6+8 (14)	20	2.5 GHz	4.7 GHz	9.5/ 20 MB	65W	$221 US
Core i5-14400F	6+8 (14)	20	2.5 GHz	4.7 GHz	9.5/ 20 MB	65W	$196 US
Core i5-14490F	6+4(10)	16	2.8 GHz	4.9 GHz	9.5/ 24 MB	65W	TBD
Core i5-14400	6+4(10)	16	2.5 GHz	4.7 GHz	9.5/ 20 MB	65W	$221 US
Core i5-14400F	6+4(10)	16	2.5 GHz	4.7 GHz	9.5/ 20 MB	65W	$221 US
Core i5-14400T	6+4(10)	16	1.5 GHz	4.5 GHz	9.5/ 20 MB	35W	$196 US
Core i3-14100	4+0 (4)	8	3.5 GHz	4.7 GHz	5.0 / 12 MB	60W	$134 US
Core i3-14100F	4+0 (4)	8	3.5 GHz	4.7 GHz	5.0 / 12 MB	58W	$109 US
Core i3-14100T	4+0 (4)	8	2.7 GHz	4.4 GHz	5.0 / 12 MB	35W	$109 US
Intel 310	2+0 (2)	4	4.1 GHz	N/A	2.5 / 6.0 MB	46W	$82 US?
Intel 300	2+0 (2)	4	3.9 GHz	N/A	2.5 / 6.0 MB	46W	$82 US
Intel 300T	2+0 (2)	4	3.4 GHz	N/A	2.5 / 6.0 MB	35W	$82 US

Intel 14th Gen CPUs Official Performance Versus The Competition

In terms of performance, Intel is claiming up to 23% performance gain and a 2.5% average gain for the Core i9-14900K CPU over the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D across several games at 1080P High. Intel goes on ahead to compare the 14900K against the Ryzen 9 7950X and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D where the chip seems to offer similar or better performance in both average FPS and 99th percentile lows however one major metric that isn't shown here is the gaming power efficiency which we know for certain is going to be strong on the Ryzen side.

Intel's 14th Gen CPUs are mostly going the brute force route by upping the clock speeds and that is going to result in more power draw and higher thermals than the competition since there are no major architectural or process node changes involved over the existing 13th Gen chips.

The blue team also compares the content creation performance across various applications which show the Core i9-14900K leading against the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and the Core i7-14700K nearing it in performance in multiple workloads. The Core i7-14700K also delivers up to 63% uplifts over the Core i7-12700K so it does seem to be a worthy upgrade over the 12th Gen i7 chips. Even i7-13700K owners would see a nice boost with the 14700K so if you were planning to buy the 13700K, you'd much rather buy the 14700K now since they'll both be priced the same.

Intel 14th gen Raptor Lake Refresh CPU Specs & Prices (Official):

CPU Name	Cores	Threads	Base Clock	Boost Clock	L2 / L3 Cache	TDP (PL1) / (PL2)	Price (RCP at Launch)
Core i9-14900K	8+16 (24)	32	3.2 GHz	6.0 GHz	32 / 36 MB	125W / 253W	$589 US
Core i9-13900K	8+16 (24)	32	3.0 GHz	5.8 GHz	32 / 36 MB	125W / 253W	$589 US
Core i9-12900K	8+8 (16)	24	3.2 GHz	5.2 GHz	14 / 30 MB	125W / 241W	$648 US
Core i9-14900KF	8+16 (24)	32	3.2 GHz	6.0 GHz	32 / 36 MB	125W / 253W	$564 US
Core i9-13900KF	8+16 (24)	32	3.0 GHz	5.8 GHz	32 / 36 MB	125W / 253W	$564 US
Core i9-12900KF	8+8 (16)	24	3.2 GHz	5.2 GHz	14 / 30 MB	125W / 241W	$620 US
Core i7-14700K	8+12 (20)	28	3.4 GHz	5.6 GHz	28 / 33 MB	125W / 253W	$409 US
Core i7-13700K	8+8 (16)	24	3.4 GHz	5.4 GHz	24 / 30 MB	125W / 253W	$409 US
Core i7-12700K	8+4 (12)	20	3.6 GHz	5.0 GHz	12 / 25 MB	125W / 190W	$450 US
Core i7-14700KF	8+12 (20)	28	3.4 GHz	5.6 GHz	28 / 33 MB	125W / 253W	$384 US
Core i7-13700KF	8+8 (16)	24	3.4 GHz	5.4 GHz	24 / 30 MB	125W / 253W	$384 US
Core i7-12700KF	8+4 (12)	20	3.6 GHz	5.0 GHz	12 / 25 MB	125W / 190W	$422 US
Core i5-14600K	6+8 (14)	20	3.5 GHz	5.3 GHz	20 / 24 MB	125W / 181W	$319 US
Core i5-13600K	6+8 (14)	20	3.5 GHz	5.3 GHz	20 / 24 MB	125W / 181W	$319 US
Core i5-12600K	6+4 (10)	16	3.7 GHz	4.9 GHz	9.5 / 20 MB	125W / 150W	$318 US
Core i5-14600KF	6+8 (14)	20	3.5 GHz	5.3 GHz	20 / 24 MB	125W / 181W	$294 US
Core i5-13600KF	6+8 (14)	20	3.5 GHz	5.3 GHz	20 / 24 MB	125W / 181W	$294 US
Core i5-12600KF	6+4 (10)	16	3.7 GHz	4.9 GHz	9.5 / 20 MB	125W / 150W	$290 US

The Intel 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs were tested on the GIgabyte Z790 AORUS Master X motherboard.

Wccftech Test Rig 2026:

Processors	Intel Core Ultra 9 285K Intel Core Ultra 5 245K Intel Core i9-14900K Intel Core i7-14700K Intel Core i5-14600K Intel Core i9-13900K Intel Core i7-13700K Intel Core i5-13600K Intel Core i9-12900K Intel Core i7-12700K Intel Core i5-12600K AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D AMD Ryzen 9 9950X AMD Ryzen 9 9900X AMD Ryzen 7 9700X AMD Ryzen 5 9600X AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D AMD Ryzen 9 7950X AMD Ryzen 9 7900X AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D AMD Ryzen 7 7700X AMD Ryzen 5 7600X AMD Ryzen 9 5950X AMD Ryzen 9 5900X AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D AMD Ryzen 7 5800X AMD Ryzen 5 5600X3D
Motherboard	Gigabyte Z890 AORUS Master (Intel Core Ultra 200S) Gigabyte Z790 AORUS Master X (Intel 14th Gen) MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk (Ryzen 7000 X3D) MSI MEG Z790 ACE (Intel 13th Gen) ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E HERO (Ryzen 9000 & 7000) Z690 AORUS Master (Intel 12th Gen) ASRock X570S PG Riptide (Ryzen 5000 / X3D) MSI MEG X570S ACE (5600X3D)
Power Supply	MSI MEG Ai1600T PSU
Storage	Samsung 9100 Pro 1 TB Gen5 SSD
Memory	G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO 32 GB (2x 16 GB) CL26 G.Skill Trident Z5 48 GB (2x 24 GB) CL40 8000 MT/s (Core Ultra 200S) G.SKILL Trident Z5 32 GB (2 x 16GB) CL36 7200 MT/s (Intel 12th/13th/14th Gen) G.SKILL Trident Z5 NEO 32 GB (2 x 16GB) CL36 6400 MT/s (AMD DDR5 Platforms) G.SKILL Trident Z Royal Series 16 GB (2 x 8GB) CL17 4000 MT/s (DDR4 Platforms)
Video Cards	MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X
Cooling Solutions	Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420mm AIO
OS	Windows 11 64-bit (25H2)

Our test rig includes the Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB SSD that boots up our main OS while a 2 TB Seagate HDD is used for the storage of games and applications. In addition to these, we are running an MSI GeForce RTX 4090 SUPRIM X graphics card and an ASUS ROG Thor 1200W power supply. For this specific review, we used G.Skill's latest Trident Z5 NEO DDR5-6000 memory kit running at CL30 timings. We also got an AM5 mounting kit for the Corsair H150i to use as a cooling solution for our test setup.

3DMark CPU Profile Benchmark

Instead of producing a single number, the 3DMark CPU Profile shows you how your CPU's performance changes and scales with the number of cores and threads used. The 3DMark CPU Profile has six tests that help you benchmark and compare CPU performance for gaming and other activities.

Blender

Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite. It supports the entirety of the 3D pipeline—modeling, rigging, animation, simulation, rendering, compositing, motion tracking, and even video editing and game creation.

Cinebench 2024

Cinebench 2024 utilizes the power of Redshift, Cinema 4D's default rendering engine, to evaluate your computer's CPU and GPU capabilities. Cinebench 2024 is designed to accommodate a broad range of hardware configurations - while it seamlessly supports x86/64 architecture (Intel/AMD) on Windows and macOS.

Cinebench R23

Cinebench is a real-world cross-platform test suite that evaluates your computer’s hardware capabilities. Improvements to Cinebench Release 20 reflect the overall advancements to CPU and rendering technology in recent years, providing a more accurate measurement of Cinema 4D’s ability to take advantage of multiple CPU cores and modern processor features available to the average user.

CPU-Z

CPUz is a freeware that gathers information on some of the main devices of your system such as the Processor name and number, codename, process, package, cache levels, Mainboard, chipset, Memory type, size, timings, and module specifications (SPD), and Real-time measurement of each core's internal frequency, memory frequency.

Geekbench 6

Geekbench 6 is a cross-platform benchmark that measures your system's performance with the press of a button.

Geekbench 5

Geekbench 5 allows you to measure your system’s power more accurately than ever before.

HandBrake

HandBrake is a tool for converting video from nearly any format to a selection of modern, widely supported codecs.

PCMark 10

PCMark 10 is a complete PC benchmarking solution for Windows 10. It includes several tests that combine individual workloads covering storage, computation, image and video manipulation, web browsing, and gaming. Specifically designed for the full range of PC hardware from netbooks and tablets to notebooks and desktops, PCMark 10 offers complete Windows PC performance testing for home and business use.

POV-Ray

The POV-Ray package includes detailed instructions on using the ray tracer and creating scenes. Many stunning scenes are included with POV-Ray so you can start creating images immediately when you get the package.

SuperPI

Super PI is used by many overclockers to test the performance and stability of their computers. In the overclocking community, the standard program provides a benchmark for enthusiasts to compare “world record” pi calculation times and demonstrate their overclocking abilities. The program can also be used to test the stability of a certain overclock speed.

WinRAR

WinRAR is a powerful archive manager. It can back up your data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP, and other files downloaded from the Internet, and create new archives in RAR and ZIP file format.

Battlefield V

Battlefield V brings back the action of the World War 2 shooter genre. Using the latest Frostbite tech, the game does a good job of looking gorgeous in all ways possible. From the open-world environments to the intense and gun-blazing action, this multiplayer and single-player FPS title is one of the best-looking Battlefields to date. The game was tested at max settings at 1440p.

Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is an action role-playing video game developed by CD Projekt Red and published by CD Projekt. The story takes place in Night City, an open world set in the Cyberpunk universe. Players assume the first-person perspective of a customizable mercenary known as V, who can acquire skills in hacking and machinery with options for melee and ranged combat. The game uses CD Projekt Red's in-house Red Engine which is one of the most visually breathtaking and also one of the most graphics-intensive engines designed to date.

DOOM Eternal

DOOM Eternal brings hell to earth with the Vulkan-powered idTech 7.  We test this game using the Ultra Nightmare Preset and follow our in-game benchmarking to stay as consistent as possible.

Forza Horizon 5

Forza Horizon 5 carries on the open-world racing tradition of the Horizon series.  The latest DX12-powered entry is beautifully crafted, amazingly well executed, and a great showcase of DX12 games.  We use the benchmark run while having all of the settings set to non-dynamic with an uncapped framerate to gather these results.

Metro Exodus

Metro Exodus continues the journey of Artyom through the nuclear wasteland of Russia and its surroundings. This time, you are set over the Metro, going through various regions and different environments. The game is one of the premier titles to feature NVIDIA’s RTX technology and does well in showcasing the ray-tracing effects in all corners. The game was tested at Ultra setting with RTX settings turned off at 1440p.

Shadow of The Tomb Raider

Sequel to The Rise of the Tomb Raider, Shadow of The Tomb Raider is visually enhanced with an updated Foundation Engine that delivers realistic facial animations and the most gorgeous environments ever seen in a Tomb Raider Game. The game is a technical marvel and really shows the power of its graphics engine in the latest title.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI

Civilization VI is the pinnacle of the series. It features huge, sweeping changes, and nothing was left out. Everything has found a purpose, they all work together in tandem but also have a reason to stand alone. It uses a more fleshed-out engine that now supports DirectX 12 capabilities. We tested the game with every setting maxed out (4x MSAA, 4096x4096 shadow textures) at 1440P in DirectX 12.

CS:GO

Even after several years, Counter Strike Global Offensive remains one of the top online FPS and eSports title in the gaming industry while utilizing a modern version of Valve's Source engine.

The Intel Raptor Lake CPUs feature the brand new hybrid architecture approach composed of Raptor Cove and Gracemont cores. The chip also relies on a brand new 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process node which delivers up to 6.0 GHz clock speeds on the flagship Core i9-14900K.

The faster clocks along with the addition of more cores should lead to more power consumption but Intel is also touting increased efficiency per watt thanks to the overall performance increases we get this generation.

In terms of packaging, Intel's Raptor Lake Desktop CPUs ship with a Solder TIM interface and higher-quality gold plating under the IHS. The thermal testing was carried out with the Corsair H150i AIO liquid cooler:

The Intel 14th Gen CPUs mark the end of the LGA 1700 platform and I must say that it has been a really good run for the blue team. Introducing its first hybrid desktop design, offering a huge jump in core counts, ramping up the clock speeds, and offering a platform with a robust set of features.

With the Intel Raptor Lake Refresh lineup, Chipzilla offered one last push before its 2024 revamp which is still a year away from now. Setting things clear, the Intel Core i9-14900K & Core i5-14600K are pretty much the same stuff we saw with the Core i9-13900K & Core i5-13600K with an uplift of 2-3% that tops out around 5% in a few cases. These chips are slightly more power-hungry and run a tad bit hotter but the good part is that they are at least priced the same as the 13th Gen CPUs. This gives us three categories of buyers:

• First, we have the older 12th Gen CPU owners who will find a 14th Gen lineup to a good boost with 15-25% performance boosts over their older chips while keeping the same motherboard and memory.
• Secondly, we have new PC builders who were going to purchase a 13th Gen chip but now have the option to purchase a 14th Gen chip for the same price but with added performance.
• Thirdly, we have the overclocking enthusiast who will find the 14th Gen chips to offer better bins and support for higher memory overclocks.

The general and existing 13th Gen chip owners won't find a need to upgrade to the 14th Gen CPU lineup and it's better to wait for the next-gen for them. Also, while the prices of the 14th Gen CPUs are the same as the 13th Gen chips, do look out for 13th Gen discounts which should be available in the coming weeks as getting a 13900K or 13500K for $50 US less might be the best path to go.

Then we have the Intel Core i7-14700K which is a very strong chip with lots of performance at hand. This chip competes favorably against the Ryzen 9 7950X3D in multi-threaded workloads & is faster than the Ryzen 9 7900X/X3D CPUs too thanks to its extra E-Cores and higher clocks. This is one chip that even 13th Gen 13700K owners might find reasonable to upgrade to as it will make content and rendering tasks faster by over 10%. Gaming performance is also very strong for the 14700K just like all the other 14th Gen chips but the Ryzen X3D parts still lead in the overall performance efficiency department.

So overall, I would consider the Intel Core i7-14700K to be a strong contender in the $400-$420 US segment if you are looking at its great multi-threaded and the gaming performance. The Intel Core i9-14900K puts up a good fight against the 7950X3D and beats the 7950X across multiple workloads but it is a very hot and power-hungry chip to tame. If you have the right cooling equipment, then it is definitely an option worth considering in the high-end category.

That is also the biggest drawback of going Intel this generation. Both the 14th Gen & 13th Gen chips are insanely hot and require several hundreds of watts. In the efficiency department, Ryzen and especially Ryzen X3D CPUs are king in gaming. Intel has used up all the resources available to go brute force but users will have to pay the extra cost of investing into some ultra-enthusiast equipment when running the 14900K & 14700K.

The 14600K also boasts some nice multi-threaded performance but if you are looking for a chip purely for gaming, then the 7800X3D is the option to go for in the $300-$350 US segment. With that, Intel's LGA 1700 journey will come to an end and we will talk about Intel CPUs next year when Arrow Lake hits desktops.

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